The boundaries of your personal space are often violated in the workplace.
You may not be sure if it is something that warrants reporting or if it was an isolated incident.
When do you tell someone and who do you tell?
However, it’s important to know how to identify these violations and take steps to protect yourself from any potential abuse that may result.
In this blog post, we will discuss 3 common scenarios where boundaries are violated and what to do about them.
1. First up is when a coworker takes credit for your work. Have you ever had a coworker take credit for your work?
We all have, and it can be frustrating. You’ve been working hard on a project, and you’re about to present your work to the team.
You walk into the conference room, set up your laptop, and start talking about how great of an idea it was when someone interrupts you with “I did that!” What do you do?
Well, the good news is, there are some tricks you can use to combat this type of behavior.
I’m going to give you three ways to outsmart your coworkers in order to keep them from taking credit for your hard work.
The first tip is don’t be afraid to ask colleagues if they need help with anything – just make sure not to overstep boundaries and become invasive.
The second trick is simply asking for recognition when you deserve it; we all like feeling appreciated.
And finally, try avoiding unnecessary contact with those who seem eager to take credit away from you; instead of giving them the satisfaction of being right.
2. Next is when your boss asks you about what’s going on with one of your coworkers who has been out sick for two weeks now (but doesn’t ask any other employees).
For example, your boss asks, “So, what’s going on with Joe? Is he really sick or is he just slacking off again?” It’s difficult to know what to say in situations like this.
So, how do you answer your boss in this case?
In this scenario, you are between a rock and a hard place. You don’t want to become your boss’ gossip buddy.
You’re under no real obligation to reveal anything personal about an employee (even a coworker).
This is a boundary violation in that your boss is asking you to divulge what’s going on in another person’s life that they should address with them directly.
This might damage a relationship between coworkers if the situation is one that could be misconstrued — or one where there are personal feelings involved.
It’s also a boundary violation because if you have no knowledge of what’s going on with this person then you could inadvertently (or purposefully) lead your boss astray.
Perhaps you’d want to keep your answer vague. Even if you know Joe is sick, do not say so because it isn’t really your place to discuss another employee.
A response like “I’m not sure, but I’ll be happy to check and get back to you” is perfectly acceptable.
You can also try to shift the topic by saying something like “Well, if he’s still out when is he supposed to be back by, maybe we can just have him take care of the problem then.”
3. Finally, let’s say that someone at work keeps trying to invite themselves over after-work drinks or wants to come over just so they can have their own drink from home while they visit…
This is unacceptable behavior for an employee to engage in.
You can try saying: “Hey, thanks but no thanks.” And then change the subject and keep working!
If this continues, it would be worth telling your manager about it so they can take steps to prevent it from happening again.
Conclusion:
Boundaries are important and can help people set their own limits on what they will or won’t do.
Boundary setting in the workplace is a sensitive subject that can be difficult to navigate.
However, you can’t allow others to cross the line with their behavior and still be able to trust or work with them effectively.
The first step is recognizing when a boundary has been crossed; then set new limits for yourself — and stick by them! It won’t always be easy, but if you’re working hard on setting up new rules, they’ll become habits in no time.
Remember, even if you receive pushback initially, once they realize what those consequences mean (or could mean) for their relationship with you, there’ll come a point where they stop pushing back.
Even if you’re unsure how to set one, these three scenarios should give you some good ideas for your own boundaries that will help keep you protected.
If any of these situations sound familiar, don’t be afraid to take action! What have been your experiences with boundary violations? Let us know, leave a comment below.
